published on May 7, 2019 - 3:06 PMWritten by The Business Journal Staff

Share this:

The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) has awarded more than $11 million to five companies in the state — including two in Fresno — to increase the state’s recycling infrastructure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The businesses will create 68 new jobs and utilize nearly 23,000 tons of recycled material per year to manufacture new products.

Netafim of Fresno and FDS Manufacturing in Fresno and Riverside will contribute 43 of these jobs with nearly $5 million in grant money combined.

Netafim’s $2.01 million award will fund the expansion of a closed-loop recycling operation of 9,612 tons of used plastic farming irrigation tubing per year, creating 15 news jobs.

FDS Manufacturing’s $2.96 million award will go toward new equipment to process an additional 2,000 tons per year of plastics. That will create 28 new jobs.

CalRecycle’s Recycled Fiber, Plastic and Glass Grant program is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of cap-and-trade dollars to work trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen the economy, and improve public health and the environment.

“Long-term sustainability depends upon our ability to close the loop in California and turn our waste stream into a supply stream for local businesses,” CalRecycle Director Scott Smithline said. “Not only are these projects a great way to repurpose recyclable material and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but they also help diversify our local economies.”

The grants seek to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions by expanding existing capacity or establishing new facilities in California that use California-generated postconsumer recycled fiber, plastic, or glass to manufacture products. CalRecycle received 14 eligible applications requesting $32.9 million in funding.